Current-motor.



G. M. SHEFFER.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLlcATloN FILED sEPT.25. 1914.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

G. M. SHEFFER.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED sEPT.25, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1,201,88f8.l Patented 001;. 17,1916.

3 A TTUHNEYS 45 -through the scow at the center thereof to GEORGE M.SHEFFER, OF EMLENTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

CURRENT-MOTOR.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, GEORGE M. Srmrriin, acitizen of the United States, anda resident of Emlcnton, in thecounty'of Venango and State of Pennsylvania, have made certain new anduseful Improvements in CurrentsMotors, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is an improvement in current motors and has yfor its objectto provide a device of the character specified, mounted on a iioat'insuch manner that it may be raised or lowered .with respect to the floatto provide for variations in water conditions, and wherein the supportfor the motor is provided with mechanism capable of connection to anddisconnection from the current motor for operating the saidV motor in adirection to propel the boat or scow, the said mechanism beingreleasable from the current motor, and wherein a speeding up connectionis provided between the current motor and the mechanism to be driven,the said mechanism being arranged to be connected to and disconnectedfrom the current motor, and wherein guiding mechanism is provided forthe motor support to guide the same during itsmovement from pla-ce toplace. y v

A further object is to provide a new and improved form of vane, soarranged that it will utilize to the fullest possible advantage theimpelling force of the water.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved motor, Figs.2 and 3 are sections on the lines 2 2 and 3 3 respectively of Fig. 1,Fig. lis a partial perspective view of the motor supporting frameshowing the adjusting mechanism, and Fig. 5 is a partial perspectiveview of one of the vanes or blades.

The present embodiment of the invention is shown in kconnection with afloat or scow' 1, having a pointed bow 2, and having a central opening 3extending vertically provide a place for the motor proper. At theopening the scow is provided with webs 4:, which form with the body ofthe scow a chamber 5 which extends on both sides of the scow and acrossthe front and rear, and the air in the chamber assists in `making thescow buoyant, so that it will float upon the surface.

l/Vithin the opening 3 of the scow an open l rectangular frame isarranged, the said Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

Application led September 25, 1914. Serial No. 863,578. i

frame consisting of side members 6 and end members 7 connecting the sidemembers, and the 'frame is of such size that it will t within theopening and will be movable vertically in the opening to adjust themotor to the required height. lThe motor proper is supported'by theframe and is adjusted vertically with the frame. The motor properconsists of a front shaft 8 and a rear shaft 9, the said shafts beingjournaled trans# vei'sely of the frame in bearings 10 on the sidemembers, and a pair of sprocket wheels 12 is secured to each shaft nearthe ends thereof.

Endless sprocket chains 13 are supported by the wheels 12, itbeingunderstood that the wheels'of each shaft register with the wheelsof the other shaft and the chains are supported` by the vregisteringwheels. The chains at each side of the frame are connected at spacedintervals by blades or vanes, the said blades or vanes being arrangedtransverselyvof the frame and being connected with the chains at theirends. Each blade or vane comprises a plate let having` at each end ahead 15 of circular form, the plates being arranged diametrically of theheads. Each of the heads 15 is provided with an aXial journal pin 16,and

the pins are connected to the chains 13 in the following manner: Each ofthe chains 13 is composed of pairs of parallel spaced links, the adjacent'pairs of links being connected at their ends by rivets 13a, andthe members of thefpairs are spaced apart by arbors 13b, the saidvarbors beingy arranged on the rivets between the members of the pairs.Each journal pin 16 takes the place ofv a rivet, the said pins beingpassed through the openings at the meeting end i s As PATENT orion.

of the-pairs of links, and a sleeve or arbor Y v 174 is arranged on thejournal pin between. the members ofthe pairs of links. .At least one ofthe pins of each blade or vane is rigid with oney pair of links inorder: that the blade will beheld in a certain definite posi-f tion withrespect to the chain, -that`lis, pelr pendicular to the upper andvlowerA runsfof4v A cotter .pin 18 is pass-ed, through'the journal -pin,outside of 'theout the chain.

ermost links to hold the parts 'in pla'ce, andv Y the lblades or vanesyare soarranged thatV the plates l willoccupyl a vertical positionon theupper and lower runs of the chains,y

as shown more particularlyin Fig.2. y

iio

It Willbe evident that', @Seite,serrait of water strikes the blades orVanes 14 they will be moved in the direction of flow of the currenttomove'the chains and to rotate the shafts 8 and 9. It will be understoodthat the frame 6 7 is so arranged that the vanes on the lower run of theendless chains 13 will enter the water, while the vanes on the upperruns of thev chains will Vbe above the level of the water.

Mechanism is provided for supporting the frame 6 7 and for adjusting thesame vertically to adjust the motor. The said mechanism comprisesthreaded rods or shafts 19 arranged at the corners of the frame 6 7,each shaft or rod being threaded lthrough a nut 2O held in the frame atthe corner'thereof. Each rod or shaft is provided at itslower end with astop in the form of an annular rib 21 and a diametrical opening 22 isprovided in each shaft or rod below the stop. `The lower end of eachshaft or rod passes through an opening in a lug 19a extending into theopening 3 from the adjacent web 4, and the downward movement of thevshaft or rod is limited by the stop 21. A pin may be passed through theopenin`g'22 below the lug to prevent upward movement of the shaft orrod, and the four shafts or rods andthe frame 6 7 as well as the motorare thussupported by the lugs 19a.

'Each of the shafts 19 has a sprocket wheel 23 secured thereto near itsupper end and the wheels at each end'of ,the frame 6 7 are connected byasprocket chain 24. The shafts or rods 19 at one side of the frame 6 7are provided with worin wheels 25 at their upper ends and above thesprocket wheel, and each worm wheel is engaged by a worm 26 on a shaft27 arranged longitudinally of the frame on the upper surface of thescow,journaled in bearings 28 on the saidupper face. At one end, preferablythe front end, the shaft 27 is provided with a crank 29; It will beevident that when the shaft Visrotated by means of the crank, the rods19will all bey rotated in one direction or the other, dependingr upon thedirection of movement of the shaft. When the rods are rotated the frame6 7 will be moved upwardly or'downwardly, the shafts or rods beingsupported by the scow for rotation. The frame andthe motor may thus beadjusted to any desired height, and

when at the proper height the worm gear connection 2.5 26 will hold theparts in ad- Vheight to hold the shaft spaced above the upper face orsurface of the frame. Gear wheels32 are journaled loosely on the shaftnear each endthereof, and each Vgear wheel carries one section 33 of aclutch at the inner end of its hub, the other section 34 of the clutchbeing feathered upon the shaft as indicated at 35. The arrangement issuch `that the gear vkwheels 32 may be connected to the shaft 30 ordisconnected therefrom at will.

Mechanism is provided for simultaneously connecting and disconnectingthe clutch sections, and the said mechanism comprises a lever 36pivotedl to a bracket 37 secured to the boat or scow in rear of theopening 3. The lever 36 is pivoted to the bracket near one end of thelever, and links 38 connect the lever with the adj acentmovable clutchsections 34. Each link 38 is pivoted to the lever at oneend, and theother end of each link has a fork whose arms 39, engage an annulargroove in the adjacent clutch section 34. The lever 36 is pivoted to thebracket 37 as indicated at 40 and the connections of the link 38 withthe lever are on opposite sides of the pivotal connection. vThe lever isprovided with the usual latch mechanism 41, which cooperates with atoothed quadrant l2`rigid with the bracket 37 for holding the lever inadjusted position.

When the lever is in the position shown in Fig. 1, both gear wheels 33are clutched to the shaft, and the said shaft will be rotated by themotor, the shaft being connected to the motor by means of gear wheels 43secured to the shaft 9 near each end thereof and meshing with theadjacent gear wheel 30. rIhus when the motor is in operation with theshaft 30 connected to the gear wheels 33, the said shaft 30.will berotated and power is taken from the shaft 30 indirectly. Another shaft44is journaled on the boat v0r scow in front of the opening 3 in bearingbrackets 45, and this shaft is provided with a pulley 46 which isconnected by means of a belt 47 with a pulley 48 on the shaft 30. Thepulley 48 is of larger diameter than the pulley 46, so that the shaft 44will be rotated at a higher speed than the shaft 30 when the motor is inoperation.

It is obvious that the power might be takendirectly from the shaft 30 ordirectly Afrom the shaft 44, but it is desirable to insert` speeding upmechanism between the generator 48 to be operated and the motor, andthis speeding up mechanism is constituted in part by the belt 47 and itsconnections. Another pulley 49 is secured to the shaft 44, and a belt 50connects the pulley .49 with a pulley 51 on the generator 52. Thepulley49 is of larger diameter than the pulley 51, so that the speed isstill further increased by this connection.

It will be obvious that when the' frame 6 7 has been adjusted totheproper height and the gea-r wheels 33 are connected to the shaft k30,the motor willoperate, driving the shaft- 30 and this fshaft,` throughthe speeding up mechanism constituted by the belts 47 and 50 andvconnected parts, will cause the generator to rotate 'at a greatlyincreased speed. Thus they poweriof .the current may beutilizedby.transforming this power into'electrical energy at thegenerator and presenting thepower inthe best possible form for use yorfor transmissionto other points. 1 l

It is often desirable to move the motor from place to place andmechanism is provided on the boat or s cow for operating the motor tomove the boat or scow from place to place, the said mechanismvbeingcapable ofl release from the motor when the boat has reached itsdestination. The said mechanism comprises a motor 53, a .liquid fuelengine in the present instance, and the motor is arranged on the bow ofthe boat with-its shaft 54 parallel with the long axis of the boat. .Abevel gear '55 is secured to the shaft 54, the said shaft being extendedto a point adjacent to the shaft 44. The motor shaft is supported by abearing 56 on the boat or` scow adjacent to the shaft 44, and the bevelgear meshes with a bevel gear 57 feathered on the shaft 44 as indi--cated at 58. The hub 59 of the bevel gear 57l is annularly grooved andthe groove is engaged by the arms 60 of a fork on one end of a lever 61.The lever is pivoted intermediate its end7 as indicated at 62, on asupporting bracket 63 secured to the scow, and the lever has latchmechanism 64 cooperating with a toothed segment 65 rigid with thebracket for holding the lever in adjusted position. When it is desiredto move the boat by its own power, the lever 61 is operated to move thebevel gear 57 into mesh with the bevel gear 55. As the shaft 44 is nowto be driven in order that it may drive the motor, it is desirable thatthe generator 48 be disconnected from said shaft, and mechanism isprovided for this purpose. The hub 66 of the pulley 49 carries onesection of a clutch and the other section 67 of the clutch is featheredon the shaft 44 as indicated at 68. A lever 69 is pivoted intermediateits ends, as indicated at 70, to a bracket 71 on the boat and one end ofthe lever is forked, the arms 72 of the fork engaginglr the annulargroove of the hub 67 The lever has the usual latch mechanism 73,coperating with a toothed segment 44 rigid with the bracket 71 forholding the lever in adjusted position. Then it is desired to disconnectthe pulley 49 from the shaft 44 the lever 69 is released from thesegment 74 and is swung in a direction'to move the clutch section 67away from the wheel 49. The shaft 44 may now rotate freely withoutaffecting the generator 48, and when the said shaft is driven bythemotor 53- the current motor will be driven in a-direction to move thekboat or scow forwardly, the blades or vanes on* the lower runs ofthechains moving rearwardly, and as the said blades or vanes strike thewater they will .tend to push the boat for-` wardly. Y l A rudder y7 5is arranged at the. rear of the boat,the said rudder having ournal pins76 and 77 which engage openings in bearing lugs 78 and 79 on the rearend of the boat or scow. Y The vj ournal pin 77 is extended above theboa-t and is provided with an angular arm 80 for convenience invoscillating the said pin to move the rudder. It will be ob- .belt 47and the other connection at the opposite end of the shafts 44 and 30 isby means of the pulley 81 on the shaft 44, which is connected to apulley 82 on the shaft 30 by means of a belt 83. `The pulleys 46 and 81are of the same size and of smaller size than the pulleys 48 and 82which are likewise of equal size. The belts 47 and 83, as well as thepulleys 46-48 and 81-82 are arranged in vertical openings 84 and 85respectively extending longitudinally of the boat or scow, and the saidopenings open into the chamber 5 before mentioned.

The operation of the improved current motor is as follows. The shaft 44is disconnected from the generator 48 by means of the'lever 69 and theclutch sections 66 and 67. The bevel gear 57 is then moved to connectthe shaft 44 with the motor shaft 54 and the motor 53 is started, thecurrent motorbeing adjusted until the blades or vanes will engage thewater at the required depth. The shaft 89 moves in a direction to causethe vanes on the lower runs of the chains to move rearwardly, andconsequently the boat or scow will be driven forwardly and it is guidedby the rudder 75. When the boat or scow has reached the desired position it is anchored or tied up in any suitable manner, and the motor 53is disconnected from the shaft 54 by moving the bevel gear 57 out ofconnection with the bevel gear 55. The pulley 49 is connected to theshaft 44 by means of the lever 69 and the motor is ready for operation.

As the current motor moves the gear wheels 43 will, by their engagementwith the gear wheels 32, rotate the shaft 30 and the motion of thisshaft will be transmitted to the generator 48 at an increase of speed.The circular head 15 at the ends of the platesV 14 prevent the waterfrom spreading out laterally of the motor or longitudinally of theplates and constrains the Water to strike against thefaces of the platesto thus propelling outer side of the .saidWheeL utilize in the fullestpossible manner the force of the current. The sprocket chain connection24 i between the shafts` 19 at the ends of the boat constrain thesaidshafts to move together, so that the four corners of the frame 6 7'move together vertically Without any twisting or skewing of the frame. Y

It will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 3 that the gear wheels 43are integral With the sprocket `Wheels 12, being at the The shaft 30 isso arranged and the Wheels 32 are of such diameter that when the gearWheels 4:3 are in engagement with the gear Wheels 32, the blades orvanes on the lower runs of the chains Will dip into thewater to theproper depth,`each blade or vane extending slightly below the yundersurface of the boat, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3.

I claim:

In a current motor, endless chains arranged in spaced relation, meansfor supporting the chains for longitudinal movement, and a series` ofblades or vanes connecting the chains at spaced intervals, each blade orvane comprising a plate, a disk or head at each end of the plate, theplate being arranged diametrically of the disks or heads, each headhaving an axial journal pin connected With the adjacent chain, saidpinsconnecting the links of the chain' and being rigid with the chain.

GEORGE M. SHEFFER.

Vitnesses:

C. E. TRAINOR, SOLON C. KEMoN.

Copies of this patent maybev obtained for,A live cents each, byaddressingthe Commissioner of Patents.4

Y Washington, D. C3

